Houston News

'Crosby Puppy Massacre' Prompts Dumping Initiative

Harris County officials say they've worked to reduce the number of unwanted and sometimes dead or mutilated animals from being illegally dumped in the Crosby area by 80-percent through a program now being enforced in other areas.

In 2012, nearly 100 animals were rescued in what was called "The Crosby Puppy Massacre". The targeted area along Highway 90 is now monitored and concrete barriers, fences and warning signs are up.

“This isn't limited to Crosby, people need to be mindful that they're being watched,” says Assistant DA Jessica Milligan. “Harris County takes this seriously, all the law enforcement agencies that are part of this initiative are certainly on board to take prosecution in these cases seriously if we can catch who is doing it.”

Milligan says there's good reason to find whomever is responsible.

“There's definitely a connection between animal cruelty, child abuse and potentially later on more terrible offenses like serial killing, they all seem to have a trend of animal cruelty in their background or history,” she tell KTRH News.

And while the practice of disposing unwanted puppies or kittens may have been considered 'normal' decades ago, Milligan says there's no reason this should be going on now.

“A lot of times people get puppies and they turn into dogs and they no longer know how to handle them, there may be behavioral issues, whatever it is this is not the appropriate way do to it,” she says. “There are resources, there are shelters, no kill rescue organizations established, none of which ask questions if you do it the right way.”

Anyone who witnesses or knows of illegal dumping is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.